This invention relates to an exchanging apparatus for exchanging welding jig units in an automatic welding apparatus. Such welding apparatuses are used in an assembly line having a combining station for a work such as a motorcar body.
The motorcar body is conveyed to the combining station by a set carrier. The automatic welding apparatus is used for combining the component parts. The automatic welding apparatus is generally of the type wherein a welding jig unit thereof is detachable therefrom for exchanging.
It has been usual hitherto with this kind of welding apparatus that, because a welding jig unit is completely large in size, the operation for exchanging one jig with another is carried out by gripping and moving the jig unit with a fork lift, a crane or the like. Thus, the method of exchanging units is defective in that the exchanging operation is inefficient, especially when it is carried out at a narrow installation place and can be very unsafe.
This invention has been made to remove those defects and has for its object the provision of an apparatus wherein the exchanging of welding jig units can be facilitated by utilizing the railway which is normally used for conveying the work.
According to this invention, in an apparatus of the type that a combining station for combining a work conveyed to this station by a set carrier is provided aside the same with at least one automatic welding apparatus for welding the work, and the automatic welding apparatus is of the type that a welding jig unit thereof is detachable therefrom for exchanging, it is characterized in that a conveying railway for the set carrier is provided with an exchanging railway which crosses the conveying railway through a switch means. There are provided on the exchanging railway at least two exchanging carriers, each having thereon a gripping means for gripping a welding jig unit.